The NEXT coming Oz election thread!

I keep telling myself history will see him as the worst PM we've had since Billy Hughes :wink:

AND he's got a while to go yet!

I'm grasping for a footy analogy......HG and Roy where are you when I need inspiration?????

Yes, it's in the third quarter and Johnny's team is kicking with the wind in this quarter. He's had a dream run from the umpires so far, playing the man, kicking to endanger, a bit of biffo behind the play, some vigorous shirtfronts and breaches of the rules all the way but he's still going. Some of his best players have given a few frees lately and they're looking a bit rattled. I would imagine he's looking forward to the third quarter break and he'll be dishing out more than just oranges to the team. That fourt quarter's going to be interesting though, do they have the fitness to make it or will their dirty play finally come to the attention of the umpires?

...meanwhile, the opposing team's coach (newly appointed after a disastrous season last year) has been given an ultimatum: either produce a respectable 4th term or that's it. (I'm afraid the ALP reminds me a little of Collingwood's form at the moment. ) Will they get their act together & kick a few straight ones through the big sticks, or keep missing & kicking even more behinds?

Big Kym transferred to the ALP/Collingwood Wagpies from WAFL Wayne Swan Districts and kicked the sand off his Subiaco tried and tested sprigs for the clumpy soil of Canberra. Bearing a look of grim determination and some might say desperation Big Kym, who looked more like a starter for the Bulldogs (jeepers I nearly wrote "Footscray" - dear Ted Whitten, what a great footballer he was) has galvanised his team. During the half time break he'd read the riot act and then some. Reminding the team that the siren was still a long way off BK gave it to them.

"Okay, we've tried the New South Wales game, now it's back to Aussie Rules. Remember our strengths, kick the bloody thing, don't handball it and for crying out loud remember, stay off the wings Left and Right and go down the bloody Centre cos that's where the goals are!"

... or maybe a little bit more play down the left wing? :wink: After all, that's we're the active supporters & the cheer squad hang out. Gotta keep them on side to remain viable! No doubt about it, though, BK is yet to hit peak form! If he wants his contract renewed he's better get some consistency & more determination in his game.

JH & Amanda are really, really sorry!:





How sorry can a government in denial be?:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/editorial/how-sorry-can-a-government-in-denial-be/2005/07/14/1120934356918.html

It's not going to go away for quite a while, folks!:

ID cards back on the (PM'S) agenda? I can't see how all of us carrying an ID card at all times would be a deterrence to "terrorism". Can anyone say anything enlightening in favour of them? So what's behind JH's push, then? To get the immigration nightmare (for the Libs) off the front page?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200507/s1416639.htm

I'm not against an I/D card in principle but I want to be convinced that it will have value.

I'm not convinced by the argument-that-isn't-an-argument that says "we already have one, your driver's licence". Sorry, any of us can choose to apply or not apply for a driver's licence.

I'm not convinced by the argument that it's necessary for the police to be able to check on the identity of an individual. I want to see evidence.

I'm not convinced that there is any connection between a national I/D card and the safety of the populus. I want to see evidence.

I am convinced that data theft would be irresistible for international organised crime.

Why couldn't he be satisfied with the fridge magnet?

I'm going to take a lot more convincing before I decide it's a good idea, I think. And out of the blue, like that! Like, whaaaaaaa?

True - and perhaps Kym has put his finger on it when he calls it a "distraction". I heard a federal MP from Qld this morning on AM discussing it. I nearly choked on my coffee disagreeing with him

Yes, a strange assortment of folk opposing & agreeing, gf.

Anyways...
More on the IR "reforms":

Great cartoon - or is it a primer? :wink:

Paul Keating on PM this evening on Howard and his govt on IR:

"The Bourbons of Australia, they've forgotten nothing and learned nothing".

Can we draft him back?????

Hell, why on earth not? What've we got to lose?

Mr H visits Washington:

Good evening, or I guess it is good morning. So Mr Howard came to Washington. The US press gave it, largely, no coverage So I guess the last cartoon by msolga was appropriate. At their joint news conference Mr Bush expressed the hope that US and AUS troops could come home as soon as the task was finished. Stop the presses for that pronouncement.

The National ID Card notion. Is that new in AUS? We have heard it mentioned here in the US, but it is pretty universally opposed. A bit strange, because the gov't already has our Social Security numbers and our drivers' license numbers. But we tend to strongly resist the ID Card as an intrusion. I don't like it, but I can't figure out why.